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Tag: coconut oil

I received an email from Onnit a little while back that detailed its introduction of MCT oil. I made a mental note of it to dedicate a short blog post about this new product but for whatever reason, I forgot to do just that. Maybe it’s because I still had a bottle of MCT oil in my cupboard. Maybe it’s because it seems like a product that Onnit should have had all along. Or maybe it’s because it just wasn’t something that was all that groundbreaking, but I understand that a lot of you guys who order Onnit products might want a short synopsis on this new Onnit food item.

Many of you might be familiar with MCT oil because of Bulletproof or butter coffee. Along with grass-fed butter, MCT oil is one of the key ingredients of butter coffee. The MCT oil Onnit had on its website for the longest time was the Bulletproof-branded MCT oil. The company seems to be phasing out Bulletproof products in favor of its own Onnit brand items, which is understandable. First was the introduction of the Caveman/Onnit Coffee custom blend, and now Onnit has its own MCT oil so you don’t need to rely on expensive Bulletproof MCT oil.

Comparing Onnit and Bulletproof MCT oil, Onnit’s is made from 100% pure coconut oil while Bulletproof MCT oil is made from a combination of palm and coconut oil. Both are a quick and healthy source of carbohydrates and can be used as a source of energy that isn’t stored as fat in the body. Both are flavorless and odorless and can be added to coffee, smoothies, salads, and shakes. Onnit’s is a little bit cheaper, costing only $1.93 per 2 fl. oz while the Bulletproof brand MCT oil costs $1.93 per 2 fl oz. Caveman Coffee MCT oil is the cheapest of the bunch, costing just $1.56 per 2 fl. oz. and it comes in a cool glass bottle you can rinse out and use afterwards.

So which one should you buy? If you’re ordering Onnit products, give the Onnit MCT oil a try. If you want more MCT oil for your buck, try the Caveman Coffee MCT oil. Either way, I personally try to avoid anything “Bulletproof” after learning about how shady Dave Asprey’s marketing actually is.

When Caveman Coffee first launched I asked someone over there if Onnit would be carrying Caveman Coffee Company products and they wouldn’t give me an answer either way. I should have known something was up, but this wasn’t what I expected. Rather than simply stocking Caveman Coffee Co. products on its virtual shelves, Onnit has gone a step further and had the guys (former UFC fighter Keith Jardine and friend of Joe Rogan/former MMA fighter/stuntman Tait Fletcher) over at Caveman Coffee come up with their own unique product that you can only find on the Onnit Labs website.

Onnit’s signature roast is Colombian Amber, a medium-light roast coffee, hand-picked from a single estate in Colombia by the individual farmer and his family who are also responsible for growing the beans. Once the beans are picked by hand, they are then washed and dried to ensure a quality product and prevent the growth of molds and toxins. They are then transported to America where they are roasted in small batches at altitude in New Mexico by the savages over at the Caveman Coffee Co. Each batch is roasted and quickly shipped to ensure that when you’re buying a bag of Onnit’s signature roast–or any of the Caveman Coffee beans–you’re getting the freshest product possible.

Much like Bulletproof Coffee, Caveman Coffee is meant to be consumed in the Bulletproof style: with grass-fed butter and MCT oil. You can also choose to substitute the MCT oil with coconut oil if you so choose. Both the beans (though not the exclusive Onnit roast) and the Caveman MCT oil are available on the Caveman Coffee website, while you can find the Onnit Colombian Amber medium-light roast and Onnit coconut oil on the Onnit website.

Onnit is running a little sale on its new Colombian Amber coffee beans, available in either a single bag, a twin pack, or a combo pack with one bag of coffee and one jar of coconut oil. If you want to check out Caveman Coffee’s MCT oil and beans instead, use the code TIGHT during the checkout process and that will save you 10% off your entire order.

I’ve written about MCT oil quite a bit on my blog, from using it in your butter coffee recipes to integrating it into your diet in other ways. One aspect of MCT oil that I haven’t touched on very much is why you would want to take MCT oil, and what the health benefits of this oil exactly are.

The first time I heard about MCT oil was through Dave Asprey, who is now selling his MCT oil under the name of “Bulletproof Brain Octane Oil,” for whatever reason. At any rate, Dave states that the benefits of MCT oil compared to other fats or oils is that the body converts MCT oil into energy faster than other oils. This can result in increased energy, stamina, and performance during physical activities.

If you’re the type of person who takes a lot of vitamins and supplements each day, adding a spoonful or two of MCT oil to your daily regimen could be beneficial. The addition of MCT oil can help your body with the absorption of these nutrients. In fact, MCT oil is given to people who have trouble absorbing nutrients, such as people who suffer from cystic fibrosis or diabetes.

MCT oil can also help with the brain. Much like our bodies need fuel for performance, so does our brain. MCT oil has such a positive impact on brain function and health, studies have shown that it can help reduce the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. These ketones are created by the liver when MCT oil is ingested.

There are also a number of weight loss benefits to MCT oil–far too many to cover here in this blog post, actually. Check back in a couple of days for a separate post outlining some of the ways that MCT oil can help you lose weight.

Last week I wrote about some other uses for MCT oil if you don’t drink butter coffee for whatever reason. As it turns out, you can add it to just about anything. But before you start adding it to your smoothies and oatmeal, wouldn’t you like to find out just what exactly MCT oil is?

First, let’s look at the acronym: MCT stands for medium chain triglycerides. MCT is composed of a number healthy fatty acids that are medium in length. The fats that we get from most foods–and the fat that our body stores–are long in length. Small and medium length triglycerides are a good source of energy because they are easily metabolized by the body which is one reason why so many athletes are starting to discover and try MCT oil.

One of the richest sources of MCT is the coconut. MCT oil is made by extracting the caprylic and capric fatty acids from coconuts, resulting in a relatively unflavored, clear/yellowish liquid that can be stored at room temperature. Pure coconut oil or coconut cream is solid at room temperature and obviously has the flavor of coconut.

If MCT oil comes from coconuts, why not just use coconut oil or coconut cream in your smoothies or butter coffee instead of more expensive MCT oil?

MCT oil takes the “good stuff” (the medium chain triglycerides) from coconut oil and removes all the other stuff. Medium chain triglycerides comprise about 60% of coconut oil, so while it could be cheaper in the long run to use virgin coconut oil instead of MCT oil, you might use more of it. And because MCT oil is a liquid and essentially flavorless, it’s much more versatile, allowing you to integrate it into your existing diet easily without having to learn any new recipes.

I was recently asked what the difference between regular coffee and Bulletproof Upgraded Coffee was, so I decided to write a blog post to compare the two. The largest difference is how the beans are grown and how the beans are processed. The utmost care and attention to detail is given during every step to ensure the lowest level of molds and bacteria are present compared to conventional coffee beans that are rife with toxins that can negatively impact your health.

The beans used in Bulletproof Upgraded Coffee are grown and harvested on a high altitude family farm in Guatemala. No chemicals, herbicides, or pesticides are used on the beans while they grow. When ready, the berries are picked at peak ripeness by skilled laborers who are experienced coffee harvesters.

Typically beans are left in the sun to wither and dry or they’re pressed and fermented to remove the outside of the bean. Beans used in Bulletproof Coffee on the other hand are processed immediately after picking in a way that ensures no fermentation will take place. This process is more expensive but ensures a product that is free of mycotoxins. The beans are then sent to the United States where they are roasted in small batches by the country’s top roaster.

But how does the taste compare? Well, it does taste different if you follow the Bulletproof Coffee recipe, since you’re substituting cream and sugar for grass-fed butter and MCT oil or coconut oil. It won’t be like any coffee you’ve had before, and may take some getting used to. That being said, I find it to be delicious, creamy, and I prefer Bulletproof Coffee to a regular ol’ cup of Joe. Also, I still get the caffeine “boost” I’d get from drinking a regular cup of coffee, but without the “crash” and jitters afterwards that I would get from coffee made with sub-par beans.